Sir Thomas Allen In Conversation with Christopher Cook

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

The wonderful British baritone Sir Thomas Allen is in Toronto this week, to give a recital - which I heard last night - and to give a masterclass this morning at 10 a.m. at Walter Hall, Faculty of Music, University of Toronto. A truly consummate singer of the first rank, Sir Thomas made his debut in 1969 and 42 year later continues to charm audiences around the world.  A great exponent of the song literature, Sir Thomas gave a wonderful recital last night of Schumann's Dichterliebe followed by groups of Schubert, Peter Warlock, Michael Head, and Frank Bridge. At 67, the voice is still in marvelous condition, and last evening, he chose his repertoire carefully and there were no compromises. As an encore, he sang a melancholy, deeply felt September Song. As if that's not enough of a surprise, his second and last encore was, are you ready - Cole Porter's Miss Otis Regrets! A great lieder singer letting his hair down in a truly wonderful interpretation of these American standards. I do hope some of you will make it to his masterclass - I can listen to him all day! Here is a 6-part interview Sir Thomas gave two years ago - enjoy! 

- Joseph K. So